For a city that has met its demise in multifarious ways, Belgrade bears its scars with pride as it attracts visitors from all over the world, becoming one of the most visited places in all of south-eastern Europe. It is situated at the confluence of two rivers—Sava and Danube that flow through the city of Serbia offering the most beautiful scenery and home to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Caught amidst the shackles of warfare and its many perils, Belgrade paints a picture of ornamented distress that invites its viewers into a seemingly unexpected journey that lets them relive the horrors of the past through a much more palatable format that entertains and educates them at the same time. Here are some of the places to visit in Belgrade for the travelling architects:
1. Temple of Saint Sava | Places to visit in Belgrade
The Church of Saint Sava is the biggest Eastern Orthodox Church that lends Belgrade a visually stunning city skyline. It stands tall and makes its significance felt not only as a symbol of architectural beauty but also of historic relevance.
Even though it looks like an ancient temple it is one of the modern buildings constructed in the ancient Byzantine eastern orthodox period in the Greek style. The inside houses a gold-ceilinged crypt with ornate chandeliers, Murano glass mosaics and vibrant frescoes depicting various stories from the bible which has shaped the life of the people in the city, today.
2. Kalemegdan Park
The Kalemegdan Park or simply Kalemegdan is the largest park in all of Belgrade. It houses many important structures, offers several places of relaxation and a wide range of adventure sports for its visitors to indulge in. The site is located on a cliff which overlooks the waters meet of the rivers Sava and Danube making for a picturesque view outlining the two most important geological features of the capital. The Belgrade Fortress located within the park serves as a treasure chest of history enticing both travellers as well as citizens in more ways than one. It is symbolic of the city as it also has borne testament to trying times of war and suffering yet survived through it all now standing as proof of grit and resilience.
3. Republic Square | Places to visit in Belgrade
Republic Square is one of the most prominent points of crossing amidst the highly urbanized neighborhoods of Belgrade. It resides in the Stari Grad municipality, and along the streets that form this square is located some of the most renowned public buildings such as the National Museum, the National Theatre, and the Statue of Prince Michael, etc.
4. Knez Mihailova Street
The Knez Mihailova Street is the main pedestrian zone lined with a lot of cafes, restaurants, street artists, street musicians, branded stores, a couple of fountains, old buildings, French and Spanish cultural centers. The street is made lively both in the presence of its living as well as non-living counterparts.
One can take in the architecture of the buildings that frame the street whilst enjoying themselves in the company of its many performers truly giving the street a vibrant character in the guise of an interactive experience that captures the soul of the city in an effortless manner.
5. Church of Saint Mark | Places to visit in Belgrade
Located in the Tašmajdan park in Belgrade, Serbia is the Church of Saint Mark. It is a beautiful example of Serbo-Byzantine iconography and the resting place for one of Serbia’s most important historical figures, Zar Lazar Hrebeljanovic.
6. The National Museum
The National Museum offers a lovely little introduction to Serbian history. It contains many relics and artifacts that attach themselves to legends and stories of heroes and their heroics, of battles and resurrection that date back to the origin of civilization and enumerate the timelines that have trespassed between the ages creating an atmosphere of absolute historic indulgence that is sure to leave one with their minds full of past chronicles and illustrious tales.
7. Sava Lake
The Sava Lake has a beautiful promenade lined with walkways and cafes along the boundaries of the waterfront. It also offers services such as boating which allows one to enjoy the scenic beauty of the cityscape while retracting from its physical boundaries and slipping into a more tranquil environment surrounded by Mother Nature.
8. Avala Tower | Places to visit in Belgrade
The Avala Tower goes up to about 200 meters and offers an aerial view of most of Belgrade as well as almost half of Serbia. It also has coffee shops and small eateries alongside the viewing deck so that one can enjoy a warm cup of coffee whilst taking in a spectacular view of landscaped plains and panoramic vistas.
9. Genex Tower
This 36-storey skyscraper in Belgrade, Serbia was designed by Mihajlo Mitrović in the Brutalist style. This controversial building was rebuked during the phase of its construction but is now wholly accepted and makes for a remarkable addition to the city skyline.
10. Millenium Tower/ Gardoš Tower | Places to visit in Belgrade
The Millennium Tower/ Gardoš Tower is located in the Zemun municipality of Belgrade at Gardoš. It is well preserved and serves as an excellent example of old architecture. It is built by Hungarian architects out of a combination of various historical styles with a focus on roman elements.
The look and feel of the place is exotic and different from the rest of the capital. This is more evidently found in the architecture of the place as it is observed to exude a unique character which differentiates it from the rest of the city.
11. Milos Konak
The Milos Konak was the residence of the royal Prince Milos Obrenovic. It is a beautiful example of a house built in the Ottoman style, with a characteristic whitewashed façade, red-tiled roof, massive chimneys and a plush interior.
Right in front of this house turned museum is a gorgeous sycamore tree, which is more than 160 years old and reinforced with metal frames to prevent it from falling apart. This little piece of architectural heritage lies well preserved within the heart of the city providing a glimpse into the lives of the Serbians during the first half of the 19th century.
12. Bajrakli Mosque
The Bajrakli Mosque is the only mosque in the city out of the 273 that had existed during the time of the Ottoman Empire’s rule of Serbia. The only way it survived is because it was converted into a church when the city was captured by Austrians but later returned to its original form once the city was retrieved by The Ottoman Empire.
13. Saint Nicholas Monastery | Places to visit in Belgrade
The Monastery of St. Nicholas is a fine specimen of Serbian architecture with visible influences from the Byzantine and Romanesque periods. It has a brick façade with an expansive interior divided into chambers, punctuated by ornate openings—making it a vision of classical supremacy.
14. The Bohemian Quarter of Skadarlija
Skadarlija in Belgrade is characterized by its old town Bohemian charm. It used to be a popular gathering spot for all artistically inclined professionals such as artists, writers, poets, actors, painters, performers, etc.
It has garnered quite a reputation for its vivacious character that spilled on to its walls and streets, painting the prettiest little picture which is now recognized and appreciated by not only the commoners but numerous celebrities as well.
15. Košutnjak | Places to visit in Belgrade
Košutnjak is a forested park solely dedicated to the purpose of nurturing the greenery, serving dual purposes of adding to the scenic beauty as well as improving the health of the urban sphere it resides in.
